The Vandals

By Kala M. Light

Twilight falls as the hardy crew of sea adventurers approaches the abandoned island. Don't call them pirates. They're vandals. Taking advantage of lost loot in unexpected places. This island is deserted. Once occupied by a lord and his family, it's now empty. But what riches might the lord have left behind? 

Riches...or nightmares.

Baldric and his crew are sailing in to find out.

A thrilling sea adventure by Kala M. Light explores the ever-present temptation of riches despite the risk.

Author's Note - introducing my secondary fantasy world of Ard. My previous titles include two urban fantasy stories and a paranormal human drama. Previews included!

• Language: English
• Publisher: EastWord Books
• Release date: Sep 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393641995

Kala M. Light

I’m Kala M. Light. I write in contemporary or AU fantasy worlds with an emphasis on ghosts, demons, and diverse characters. I live in the Seattle area and love the Northwest, so the vast majority of what I write is set there in some capacity. I primarily write urban fantasy, usually set in an alternate version of our world where there happens to be some manner of magic and supernatural workings.  Current series are: - Legend of the Death Star (supernatural crime fighters, ghosts, demons, etc.) - Fly (paranormal human drama) - Monster Tree (urban fantasy detective)

Book preview

The Vandals

The air was clear and cold with the onset of winter as a frosty wind blew out of the northeast.  Light gray clouds moved sluggishly overhead and for once, they were not swollen with rain.  A pale, washed out sun peered occasionally from the cloud cover, sending thin rays down onto the deep blue rollers below.  The rush of wind and hiss of spray heralded the bow of a ship as she sent the waves scurrying to her sides.  A smallish lugger under full sail with the wind abeam on her starboard side made careful headway through the gently pitching sea.  Her rigging sang and thrummed with the vibration of the wind through her sails. 

Vandalus’ deck heaved underfoot as she leapt over the waves, and spray blew constantly over the decks.  Baldric stood with legs spread apart, swaying with the motion of the ship as he peered through his spyglass.  He stood high on the forecastle, training the glass roughly to the northwest.  His long brown hair, damp with the spray that leapt over the bow, whipped at his neck and face.  Every now and again he reached a hand up to wipe his eyes as they watered from the strain of looking through the glass and the water dripping down his forehead from his hair.  His pants and long coat were becoming damper with every minute he spent near the break of the waves.  Baldric hardly noticed, so deep in concentration was he. 

Despite being of landsman ilk, namely of Rhuneish descent, Baldric had always felt more at home on the sea with the heaving deck of a ship below him instead of firm ground.  He could have had a position of some importance in one of the powerful navies in the Western Kingdoms, but instead, he had found himself the self-styled captain and leader of a group of vandals on a stolen lugger.  The thought of trying to work his way up the chain of command without high birth to assist him, was distasteful to say the least.  Being a vandal gave him everything he needed; freedom, a ship and a relatively comfortable living.

Vandal was the only fitting description for they could not rightly be called pirates.  Their ship was only minimally armed and though she could out-sail nearly anyone, she would be woefully inadequate in broadside combat.  Along with these physical limitations to becoming pirates, Baldric and his crew had no desire to capture ships and form a pirate fleet.  They were more like treasure hunters who occasionally broke the laws.  As far as Baldric was concerned, laws were made by nobles trying to keep peasants in their place anyway.

With a loud slap and hiss of spray, the ship came down the other side of a wave, and freezing cold water broke over the bow.  Baldric swayed back and lifted an arm to save his face a drenching.

Land!  Land ho!  North by northwest! came a cry from up in the